1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid recovery devices and, more particularly, to an unspent automotive fluid recovery system which recovers unused automotive fluids (e.g. motor oils and automatic transmission fluids).
2. General Background
Conservation, reclamation and recycling of used motor oil has been mandated by states and the federal government. The recycling of used motor oil reduces environmental hazards caused by the waste byproduct of used motor oil. Thus, processes have been created to reclaim and recycle the used motor oil so that it can be profitable to the recycler and/or provide an energy source.
After, the spent motor oil has been drained from an engine, the spent motor oil can be taken to a collection center so that it can be recycled such as into electricity. Furthermore, recycled motor oil can be used in furnaces for heat or in power plants to generate electricity for homes, schools, and businesses. Moreover, the spent motor oil can also be sent to a refinery that specializes in processing used oil and re-refined into lubricating base oils that can be used to formulate engine oils.
For example, two-gallons of recycled motor oil can be used to generate enough electricity for almost 24 hours to a residence. As can be readily seen, there are significant advantages to recycling motor oil by average citizens by disposing of the spent motor oil at convenient collection sites to keep used motor oil out of waterways and ground water supplies and getting used oil into the recycling system. Many automotive centers recycle the used motor oil through a complex system to reclaim motor oil in the center.
State and federal agencies have set regulations for the handling and disposal of used motor oil. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also issued its own used oil management standards, and state regulatory authorities are required to implement them.
While much attention has been directed to reclaiming used motor oil, an estimated 30 million quarts of unspent motor oil is lost as the result of 1-2% of residual motor oil left in an open container of motor oil. This unclaimed unspent motor oil can provide a source of environmental contamination and a monetary loss.
In view of the above, there is a continuing need for an unspent automotive fluid recovery system that allows one or more open containers to be seated in a fluid receiver in a manner that allows residual motor oil or other automotive fluid to be drained into a storage compartment automatically under the influence of gravity without the need for a mechanic or user to waste time holding the containers and wait for the residual to completely evacuate the containers.
There is a further continuing need for an unspent automotive fluid recovery system that includes a plurality of classifying compartments for storing the evacuated residual automotive fluids of like kind and weight into a designated classifying compartment. The accumulation of a residual automotive fluid can be pumped or siphoned from the classifying compartment for later use, repackaging or recycling with spent automotive fluids.